The 2017 ASCAP Country Music Awards

Publisher of the Year Warner Chappell’s Ben Vaughn, Songwriter of the Year Ashley Gorley, Song of the Year songwriters Dave Kuncio and Josh Mirenda, Publisher of the Year Warner Chappell’s Jon Platt. Photo: Ed Rode

Monday evening (Nov. 6) the 55th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards banquet was held at the Ryman Auditorium.

Ashley Gorley set a new ASCAP record by winning his fifth ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year Award. Newly minted Country Music Hall of Fame member Don Schlitz presented the honor he hadwon four times in the past.

Warner/Chappell repeated as Country Publisher of the Year for the fifth consecutive time.

Penned by Dave Kuncio and Josh Mirenda,Dierks Bentley’s hit “Somewhere on a Beach” was named the ASCAP Country Song of the Year. Matthew Ramsey of Old Dominion won the Country Artist-Songwriter of the Year prize. His winning tunes were the hits he co-wrote for the band, “Snapback” and “Song for Another Time,” plus the Sam Hunt hit “Make You Miss Me.”

John Johnson presented the Partners in Music Award to Jim Varnell of Varnell Enterprises, which has been promoting concerts since 1946, everyone from Roy Acuff to Garth Brooks.

Seth Ennis introduced songwriter Jamie Moore singing “May We All,” which was one of ASCAP’s five most performed songs of 2016.

The prestigious Founders Award went to Rodney Crowell. He was serenaded by Keith Urban with “You Win,” which they co-wrote back in 2001. Vince Gill sang “Oklahoma Borderline,” which was the first song he ever co-wrote with Crowell (and the late Guy Clark). Gill then drew a standing ovation for his prayer-at-twilight rendition of “Til I Gain Control Again.” Steuart Smith made the presentation.

ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews announced that the Vanguard Award was going to Kelsea Ballerini. Hillary Lindsey made the presentation.

Ross Copperman won BMI’s Country Songwriter of the Year prize for the second year in a row. Keith Urban was presented with the BMI Champion Award. Bob DiPiero earned the BMI ICON Award. Performance and video tributes to DiPiero were interspersed throughout the evening. The former featured Jon Pardi tearing it up on “Daddy’s Money,” Brooks & Dunn romping through “You Can’t Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl” and Reba McEntire with “Till You Love Me.”

Winner-and-still-champion Sony/ATV-Tree picked up its 16th annual Country Publisher of the Year. “H.O.L.Y.” was named BMI’s Country Song of the Year. Co-writers busbee and Nate Cyphert received a standing ovation as they took the stage with Florida Georgia Line.

The 2017 SESAC Nashville Music Awards

Publisher of the year Warner Chappell Music onstage with SESAC executives during the 2017 SESAC Nashville Music Awards on November 5, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo: Jason Davis/Getty Images for SESAC. [Click to enlarge]

The SESAC Awards were held Sunday evening (Nov. 5) at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s event space. Justin Ebach won Country Songwriter of the Year. Cary Barlowe picked up a Country Song of the Year honor for “It Don’t Hurt Like It Used To,” which Billy Currington performed during the gala.

Ben Vaughn and his Warner/Chappell Music team members gathered on stage to accept SESAC’s Country Publisher of the Year award. Special accolades were also presented to Lady Antebellum, to Kenny Rogers and to peermusic’s Michael Knox.

The awards presentations kicked off with honors going to Victoria Shaw and the late Kim Williams for writing “Baby Let’s Lay Down and Dance” (recorded by Garth Brooks). Seth Mosley won for “Make You Mine” (High Valley). Craig Campbell won for “Outskirts of Heaven,” which he also recorded and published.

Next up receiving songwriting awards were Jaron Boyer for “They Don’t Know” (Jason Aldean) and big winner Barlowe for “It Don’t Hurt Like It Used To” (Currington). This was also the segment of the show that saluted peermusic.

Next, Jim Lauderdale hosted the Americana portion of the ceremony. He won for his two 2017 albums, This Changes Everything and London Southern. The other honored Americana albums were Willie Nelson’s God’s Problem Child, which featured contributions by Sam Hunter and an absent Jamey Johnson, and the Band of Heathens disc Duende.

SESAC Legacy Award recipient Kenny Rogers was presented by Hillary Scott and her mom, Linda Davis, who tours as a singer with Rogers. Performers included Lee Brice for “20 Years Ago.” Dustin Lynch offered “The Gambler.” Craig Campbell sang “Lady.” Kim Carnes and Andy Childs did “Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer.”

About Eric T. Parker: Eric Parker serves as Marketing Manager for MusicRow, RowFax, and the CountryBreakout Chart. He holds a B.B.A. in Entertainment and Music Business with a background working with label, publishing, management and PR firms. eparker@musicrow.comView author profile.

Leave a Reply

About RowFax

RowFax provides up to date information about which artists are working on recording projects and currently searching for new material. It is for professional use by publishers, songwriters, producers, artists, A&R executives and others interested in the process of finding and recording songs. The publication’s role is solely to provide song marketplace information—it never gets involved in the process of pitching, reviewing, listening to or owning songs. Each entry contains artist, label, producer, recording schedule, project description and contact details when available.

Subscribe To RowFax

RowFax Subscription

Contact Directories

Our sister publication MusicRow offers print magazine contact directories that may be of interest to you. Click here for details